Road to the play-offs

With just two rounds left before the Super Rugby play-offs there are still nine teams in with a shout of making the top six.

With just two rounds left before the Super Rugby play-offs there are still nine teams in with a shout of making the top six.

The pressure will be on over the next fortnight as the top teams jostle for play-off spots, and although there are six teams that are completely out of the running they could play a vital role in determining who makes the cut by upsetting some big guns.

The New Zealand conference is the most competitive of the lot, with four teams still in the mix, although the Highlanders will need a few results to go their way if they are to sneak in.

The Chiefs have guaranteed themselves top spot in the conference already, so the focus in New Zealand will be on the Hurricanes and Crusaders who could both qualify.

In the South African conference the Stormers, Bull and Sharks are all gunning for a spot, but the most important teams could well be the Cheetahs and the Lions who will be involved in some crucial derbies.

The Cheetahs play the Stormers and the Sharks whilst the Lions face the Bulls in the final round of the regular season, so although they cannot make the play-offs they could have a big say in who does.

In Australia it is just the Brumbies and the Reds who have a chance, but both of them could make the top six if things pan out correctly for them.

With so many teams in contention there should be plenty of tension as the threat of being knocked out looms and the battle for a spot in the top two which guarantees a home semifinal and a week's break intensifies..